Liquid level control means



Feb. 6, 1940 A. K. FOULDS LIQUID LEVEL CONTROL MEANS Filed Aug. 5, 193 6 'INVENTQR Ma KM;

Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to Detroit Lubricator Company, Det

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Micln, a corporation of Michigan Application August 5, 1936, Serial No. 94,335

Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for maintaining a constant liquid level and more particularly to auxiliary or safety means operable to close the inlet to the constant level chamber on increase in the liquid level above the desired constant level.

An object of my invention is to provide-an overflow receptacle or container within the constant level reservoir for actuating the safety valve closing means.

Another object is to provide novel means for resetting the safety mechanism,

Another object is to provide novel means for emptying the container or receptacle after operation of the safety mechanism.

The invention consists in the novel valve actuating means, to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as a part of this specification, I have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which drawing- Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal central section through a constant level chamber and showing the valve actuating means;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modification 01' part of the resetting mechanism.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, I designates generally a casing or housing having a cover member 2 and containing a, constant level chamber or reservoir 3. bottom wall of the casing-l has an inlet fittin 4 and an outlet fitting 5 for flow'to and from the chamber 3. In the inlet fitting 4 and extending upward into chamber 3 there is a valve seat and guide member 6 having a passageway l therethrough communicating with the inlet 4 and controlled bya vertically and longitudinally reciprocal valve member 8 having a stem 9. The valve member 8 is moved relative to its seat by a float Ill connected by a lever ll to-a collar l2 fixed to the stem 8. The-float Ill acts to maintain a constant liquid level at the line .L-L within the chamber 3. Pivotally secured at one end of the casing there is a lever l3 which overlies the stem 9 and which is movable downward into engagement therewith. The lever I3 is preferably fulcrumed on the pin or shaft l4 extending between and held at its ends in the casin side walls. The other end of lever I3 is preferably tapered or pointed, as at II, to receive a conically recessed spring seating member l6. Beating The against the memberlS is one end of a helical coil spring H which acts longitudinally of lever l3 and which is held under compression by an adjustable abutment screw 18 which is screwthreaded in an aperture I! in the casing wall. A spring abutment member 20 similar to member- 16 is preferably positioned between the screwl8 and its end of spring l'l. Upward movement of lever l3 away from stem 9 is limited by an adjustment screw 2| threaded through an aperture in the top casing wall. The lever I3 is provided adjacent its freeend I5 with an ofiset portion 22 to which a downward extending thrust member 23 is secured. Fixed to the lower end of member 23 there is a container or receptacle 24 having its overflow edge 25 positioned above the predetermined constant level indicated by the line L-L. The container 24 is preferably weighted, as at 26, so that when the container is unsupported, it will break the lever 13 and spring I! downward for engagement of lever I3 with stem 9 so that spring." will force the valve v member 8 to closed position. Alignedwith the bore or chamber 21 of container 24 there is a plunger or piston 28 which conforms to the cham-, 'ber 21 and substantially fits the same. The plunger 28 is held in alignment with chamber 21 by guide fingers 23 extending upward from the periphery of the container 24. The plunger 28 is of a height or dimension equal to or greater than the depth of chamber 21 so that it will com-- pletely fill the same on movement thereinto. Fixed to the plunger 23 and rising from the top face thereof is an operating rod 38 which extends through the offset portion 22 of lever l3 and upward through an aperture 3| in the top wall of the casing. The top wall of the casing is provided with a projecting portion 32 whichforms a guideway for the rod 30 and which is vertically slotted, as at 33. The rod 30 is provided external of the casing with a cross pin 34 which rests on the top face of extension 32 but which is movable downward in slot 33 upon rotation of rod 30.

The pin 34 is preferably held in frictional engagement with the top face of extension 32 by 5 a spring 35, seating at its upper end against the top wall of the casing and at its lower end seating on a cross pin 36 carried by rod 30. I

In operation; the inlet 4 is connected to a *liquid supply tank and the outlet 5 is connected 0 tainer alone, so that when the buoyant force of u the liquid in the reservoir acting upward on the container is compensated by overflow of liquid into the container, the container will sink by gravity and pull the lever l3 downward. Assuming the parts to be in the positions shown and the liquid line to be at the line LL, the float II will maintain the predetermined liquid level thereat. With the liquid standing at the line LL, the float III will maintain the predeterm mined liquid level thereat. With the liquid standing at the line LL, the container 24 will be partially immersed therein and be buoyed up by the force of the liquid displaced which will be suflicient to hold the lever l3 in its up position and out of engagement with stem 9. Should the float Ill fail to close the valve member 8, thereby permitting the level to increase above line LL, or should the level increase above the desired level L-'L for any reason, then when the liquid level increased sufliciently to overflow the upper edge 25 of container 24, the upward force exerted by theliquid in chamber 3 on container 24 will be compensated as the container fills. When the downward force exerted by the container 24 which is thus filling with liquid becomes sufficient, that is, when the weight of the container and the liquid contained therein becomes greater than the buoyant force of the liquid in reservoir 3 on the container plus the resistance to movement of lever I3, the weight of the container will move the lever l3 downward and spring I! will quickly move lever 13 into engagement with stem 9 to tightly seat the valve member 8 to prevent further inflow of liquid into chamber 3. With the inlet 1 closed, the level of liquid in chamber 3 will decrease since the outlet 5 is open. In order to reset the mechanism, therod 30 is rotated to bring pin 34 into slot 33 and the rod 30 is moved downward. This downward movement of rod 30 will force plunger 23 into chamber 21 and cause the liquid therein to be expelled around the side clearance of the plunger back into reservoir 3. When the chamber 21 has been evacuated of liquid, the rod 30 is raised and due to the close fit between the plunger 28 and the wall of chamber 21 the container 24 will be lifted with the plunger by suction. Upward movement of the container 24 as it is lifted by the plunger will act through thrust member 23 on lever 13 to move the lever upward to its initial or inactive position, as in Fig. 1. The-upward movement of lever l3 will permit valve member 8 to open, thus admitting liquid to chamber 3 and the entering liquid will buoy up the container 24, holding it and the lever l3 in their raised or inactive position. After the lever 13 has been moved to inactive position and isso held by the floating container 24, the plunger 23 is withdrawn completely from chamber 21 as shown in Fig. 1, and rod 40 is rotated to move pin 34 out of registry with slot 33 so that the plunger 23 will be held in its raised inactive position.

In Fig. 3, the plunger 28 is provided with a leaf spring 40 extending longitudinally thereof and secured at its ends, as at 4|, 42, to the side face of the plunger. This spring 40 is movable into the chamber 21 upon downward movement of plunger 23 to expel liquid from the chamber and on the downward movement of the plunger frictionally engages the inside face of the side wall of the container 24. The spring 40 therefore acts together with the suction efiect of the plunger 28 to hold the container and plunger -in engagement when the plunger is lifted for resetting the lever I3 and the container 24.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a container in said reservoir and movable on overflow of liquid thereinto, means operable by movement of said container to close said valve, and a pump plunger cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom.

2. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a container in said reservoir and movable on overflow of liquid thereinto, means having an inactive position and operable by movement of said vcontainer to close said valve, and a plunger cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom into said reservoir, said plunger coacting with said container to move said valve closing means to inactive position.

3. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a container in said reservoir and movable on overflow of liquid thereinto, means operable to move said valve to closed position, means operatively connecting said container and said closing means for movement of said closing means on movement of said container, and a plunger substantially fitting said container, said plunger acting on movement into said container to expel liquid therefrom, said plunger acting by suction on retraction from said container to move said container and saidclosing means to inactive position.

4. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a lever engageable with said valve and operable to move said valve to closed position, a container in said reservoir and connected to said lever, said container moving on overflow of liquid thereinto and acting on movement to move said lever, and a pump plunger cooperable with said container to expel qliquid ltherefrom into said reservoir.

5. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, means operable to move said. valve to closed position, a container in. said reservoir and acting on movement to control movement of said valve closing means, said container moving on overflow of liquid thereinto, a plunger operable to guide the movement of said container and being movable into said container to expel liquid therefrom, and means to hold said plunger in position to guide said container.

6. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a lever engageable with said valve to close said inlet, a spring acting on said lever and movable to urge said lever into engagement with said valve, a container carried by said lever and positioned in said reservoir, said container being buoyed up by liquid in said reservoir to oppose movement of said lever, said container acting by gravity on overflow of liquid thereinto to move said lever, and a plunger in said reservoir and cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom.

'7. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a

valve controlling said inlet and having an upward extending stem, a lever overlying said stem and movable into engagement therewith to close said valve, a spring acting longitudinally on said lever and movable to urge said lever against said stem, a container in said reservoir, a thrust member connecting said container to said lever, said container acting by gravity upon flow of liquid thereinto to move said lever toward said stem, said container being buoyed up byliquid in said reservoir to oppose movement of said lever, a plunger reciprocal in said container and substantially fitting therein, said plunger being operable on movement into said container to expel liquid therefrom, said plunger acting by suction upon retraction from said container to lift said container, said container when lifted acting through said thrust member to lift said lever from engagement with said stem, guide means on said container to guide the movement of the plunger thereinto, and means to hold said plunger in retracted position so that liquid can flow into said container.

8. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a container in said reservoir and movable upon flow of liquid thereinto, means having an inactive position and operable by movement of said container, said means acting upon operation to close said valve, aplunger cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom into said reservoir, said plunger coacting with said container to move said valve closing means to inactive position,

and means acting to hold said container and said plunger in engagement for movement of said container by said plunger.

9. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a container in said reservoir and movable upon flow of liquid thereinto, means having an inactive position and operable by movement of said container, said means acting upon operation to close said valve. a plunger cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom into said reservoir, said plunger coacting with said container to move said valve closing means to inactive position, and a spring acting upon expulsion of liquid from said container to frictionally hold said plunger and said container together for movement in unison.

10. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a container in said reservoir and movable upon flow of liquid thereinto, means operable by movement of said container to and acting upon operation to close said valve, said container floating in said reservoir and acting by buoyant force of the liquid thereon to hold said valve closing means in inactive position, and a plunger cooperable with J said container to expel liquid therefrom into said uid thereon to hold said valve closing means in inactive position.

12. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet. a valve controlling said inlet, a container floatable in the liquid in said reservoir and movable downwardly upon admission of liquid thereinto, means operable to close said valve and actuable upon downward movement of said container, and means to evacuate the container of admitted liquid.

13. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a container floatable in the liquid in said reservoir and movable downwardly upon admission oi liquid thereinto, means operable to engage and close said valve and actuable upon downward movement of said container, and means operable on movement in one direction to evacuate the container of the admitted liquid, said last-named means being operable upon movement in another direction to move said valve closing means out of engagement with said valve.

14. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a-container in said reservoir and movable downwardly upon admission of liquid thereinto, means operable upon downward movement of said container to close said valve, and a plunger guided for movement into said container and operable upon inward movement to expel the admitted liquid from said container.

15. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a float operated valve controlling said inlet and maintaining a substantially constant liquid level in said reservoir, said valve having a stem, force exerting means alined with said stem and movable into engagement therewith to close said valve, and a container floatable in said reservoir and operable by the buoyant force of the liquid thereon to maintain said force exerting means in inactive position and out of engagement with said stem, said container having an overflow edge for admission of liquid from said reservoir upon predetermined increase in liquid level above said constant level, said force exerting means moving into engagement with said stem and acting to close said valve upon admission of liquid to said container.

16. In a device of the character described, a reservoir for liquid, 9. control device, a movable container, means for admitting liquid to said container from said reservoir, means normally disengaged from said control device and operable to be released by movement of said container upon admission of liquid to said container from said reservoir to actuate said control device, and means for discharging admitted liquid from said container and into said reservoir to prevent loss of liquid.

17. In a device of the character described, a reservoir for liquid, 8. control device, a movable container, means for admitting liquid to said container from said reservoir, means having an inactive position and operable upon movement therefrom to actuate said control device, said actuating means being operable by movement of said container upon admission of liquid to said container from said reservoir, and a single means controlling discharge of admitted liquid from said container and into said reservoir to prevent loss or liquid, said single means also being oper- 75 able to move said actuating means to its inactive position.

18. In a control device, a casing having a reservoir with an inlet and an outlet, control means, a container movable upon admission of liquid thereto, means for flow of liquid from said reservoir into said container, means operable by movement of said container to actuate said control means, and a plunger cooperable with said container, said plunger and said container having relative movement to position said plunger in said container so as to displace liquid from said container.

19. In a control device, a casing having a reservoir with an inlet and an outlet, control means, a container movable upon admission of liquid thereto, means for flow of liquid from said reservoir into said container, means having an inactive position and operable by movement of said container to actuate said control means, and means operable to discharge liquid from said container, said last-named means being operable upon movement to move said actuating means to its inactive position.

20. In a control device, a casing having a reservoir with an inlet and an outlet, control means, a container movable upon admission of liquid thereto, means for flow of liquid from said reservoir into said container, means operable by movement of said' container to actuate said control means, a plunger cooperable with said container, said plunger and said container having relative movement to position said plunger in said container so as to displace liquid from said container, and means to guide movement of said plunger and of said container.

21. In a liquid level control device, a closed casing containing a reservoir having an inlet and an outlet, a valve controlling said inlet, a container floatable in the liquid in said reservoir and movable downwardly upon admission of liquid thereinto, means operable to close said valve and actuable upon downward movement of said container, said casing having an aperture through the wall thereof, and means projecting through said aperture external of the casing for displacing'liquid from said container.

22. In a constant liquid level device, a casing containing a reservoir, a container movable on overflow of liquid thereinto from said reservoir, controlling means, means operable upon overflow into said container to operate said controlling means, and a pump plunger cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom.

23. In a constant liquid level device, a casing containing a reservoir, a container floatable in said reservoir and movable on overflow of liquid thereinto, controlling means, means operable upon overflow into said container to operate said controlling means, and a pump plunger cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom and into said reservoir.

24. In a constant liquid level device, a casing containing a reservoir, a container movable on overflow of liquid from said reservoir into said container, controlling means, means operable by movement of said container to operate said controlling means, and a plunger cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom, said plunger coacting with said container to move said controlling means to inactive position.

25. In a liquid level control device, a casing containing a reservoir, controlling means, a container in said reservoir and movable on overflow of liquid thereinto, means operable by movement of said container to operate said controlling means, and a pump plunger cooperable with said container to expel liquid therefrom into said reservoir.

ANDREW K. FOULDS.

Patent No. 2,189, 662.

CERTIFICATE OF commcnon.

. February 6, 191 .0. ANDREW K. FOULDS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line 59, claim 10, after the word 'Ycontai ner" strike out i'to";a nd that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may 'conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of March, A. D. 1911.0.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

